August 17, 2012

Designer's touch: Interior architecture and product design students lead the way as finalists in prestigious furniture design competition

Nine students in Kansas State University's interior architecture and product design program have designed their way to the finals in the Design Emphasis Student Furniture awards at the International Woodworking Fair 2012.

The university has the most finalists in the competition. Fifty projects created by students from design school across the country were chosen for the final round of the student furniture design competition. The prestigious International Woodworking Fair has been giving awards for student furniture design since 1970.

"We are very proud of the accomplishments of our students and their professors," said Katherine Ankerson, head of the department of interior architecture and product design. "This level of recognition certainly is an illustration of the quality of the work being designed and produced here."

Finalists will have their furniture professionally photographed for publication and displayed at the Georgia World Congress Center during the International Woodworking Fair 2012 Conference. The finalists also will travel to Atlanta for the conference, which takes place Aug. 22-25. Winners will be announced at a reception/awards ceremony. The judging panel includes furniture industry designers, manufacturing and retail executives, and members of the trade press who have design-oriented backgrounds.

Kansas State University interior architecture and product design students and recent graduates selected as finalists in the competition, name of project and category for their furniture designs include:

Jacinta Stecklein, May 2012 master's graduate, Hays, for Fleur Chair and Ottoman in the seating category; John Rice, May 2012 master's graduate, Manhattan, for Little Red Table in the design creativity category and for Steam Bend Chair in the seating category; Beth Dringenberg, May 2012 master's graduate, Parsons, for Flex Chair in the seating category; Kyle Emme, master's student, Salina, for Poise End Table in the accent furniture/accent tables category; and Kurtis Heinen, master's student, Seneca, for La Rama Chair in the seating category.